JJ Redick Reflects on Chris Paul’s Upcoming Retirement and Their Journey From Adversaries to Family
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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revisited two decades of memories with Chris Paul after the San Antonio Spurs guard announced he will retire at the end of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Speaking before a recent game, Redick highlighted Paul’s impact on the league, their early hostility and the bond that ultimately formed once they became teammates with the L.A. Clippers.
From “hating each other” to family
Redick recalled a moment from his 2006-07 rookie campaign with the Orlando Magic, when Paul—then in New Orleans—walked over during a dead ball and jabbed, “Yeah, this is a lot different from college, isn’t it JJ?” Redick said he responded internally, “I f—ing hate that guy.” The relationship changed drastically after Redick joined Paul on the Clippers during the Lob City era with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
“The arc of our relationship is very interesting, from quite literally hating each other to feeling like he is part of my family,” Redick said. “I don’t think there was a player I felt more connective tissue with than Chris.”
Assessing Paul’s legacy
Paul, 39, has played more than 20 NBA seasons. Redick declined to define Paul’s legacy, stating, “It will be whatever people decide it is.” Instead, he praised Paul’s ability to “squeeze the juice out of every possession,” a phrase the Clippers repeated during their time together. “He’s done that for over two decades, and it’s remarkable for a player his size to compete at that level for so long and so consistently,” Redick added. “The game will miss him.”
Coaching chapter for Redick
Redick, who moved directly from a 15-year playing career to the Lakers’ bench last season, won 50 games as a rookie head coach and has Los Angeles off to another strong start. He continues to lean on lessons learned from veterans such as Paul, LeBron James and Luka Dončić while challenging third-year guard Austin Reaves to assume a larger leadership role.
Snapshot from Jan. 13, 2025
Paul’s Spurs defeated Redick’s Lakers 126-102 at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 13. After the game, Paul and Spurs teammate Victor Wembanyama posed for a photo with Redick’s sons, underscoring how far the former rivals have come.
Source: Lakers Nation
